Mini - is this a good deal?

Charl__x

Hi all.

Looking around for a new car at the moment, and been getting a few prices.

My ideal car would be a brand new Mini, but I realise I will have to pay the price for this choice.

My partner is in the police, and gets a 'Sytner Corporate Discount' as per advertised on his sports and social membership website.

After initial enquiries, Sytner Mini have offered (for a Mini One):

£1000 for my 2005 KA (it was in an accident before I owned it, so it's Cat D)

Free TLC pack (servicing for 5 years)

£575 off the list price of the car

And finance is a flat rate of 5%

The list price for the Mini One is just over £12,300 - so not a huge discount, but then again, Mini are notorious for the attitude of 'we don't do discounts' so was wondering how this compared to any experiences that people have had with Mini?

I have also been in touch with another branch of Sytner - they couldn't give me a price when I went in, said their systems were down, and the sales guy promised he would phone back. That was 2 days ago. So just been on the phone, and the receptionist reckons he'll call back today :rolleyes:

Premier_2

No dealer will willingly give away a discount unless they have to and when the Mini was selling well, the argument for no discounts was commercially sound.

But I thought the Mini plant has been shut recently for extended periods?

Also a £1000 offer for a 2005 Ka is a joke (even with cat D) unless its damaged / not in average typical condition

Charl__x

Premier wrote: »

No dealer will willingly give away a discount unless they have to and when the Mini was selling well, the argument for no discounts was commercially sound.

But I thought the Mini plant has been shut recently for extended periods?

Also a £1000 offer for a 2005 Ka is a joke (even with cat D) unless its damaged / not in average typical condition

I did hear about the Mini plant being shut, which is what made me think they weren't doing so well, but according to the salesman 'they are flying out'.. but then again, what salesman would admit that they're not doing well.

They didn't even look at my car when they gave me that price - so it cant be based on the condition. It only has 22,000 on the clock and full service history (allbeit not 'ford' service history). I'd say the condition is average - few scratches here and there, but what 5 year old car doesn't!

Still no call back from the salesman and they close at 4pm.

emmell

I had a rubbish p/x offered from a mini dealer for a 2007 Honda civic, said they had to get it underwritten but I would be lucky to get bottom book price (this was 18 months ago), one owner (me) exceptionally low mileage and mint condition. I ended up going to an independent dealer and buying an 18 month old cooper and getting a much better offer for my Honda.
ML.

mcduff16

Even with cat d damage i agree that £1000 for a 2005 ka with 22k on the car is a joke, don`t take the deal

Charl__x

mcduff16 wrote: »

Even with cat d damage i agree that £1000 for a 2005 ka with 22k on the car is a joke, don`t take the deal

Thanks for the advice.

I will definitely try and squeeze some more out of them. From past experiences, it seems that dealers will never give you anywhere near their best price first, instead offering you a below average deal and waiting to see if you'll accept. My boyfriend has just bought a new Fiesta, and managed to squeeze an extra £1400 for his 08 Fiesta which he was px, when comparing to the first figure they quoted him.

I would like to get a new car before the 2.5% VAT hike, but it's seeming more and more unlikely.

Anyone got any rough idea of what sort of px value I should be aiming for for my KA? I know there are some good car valuation sites, but these dont often take into account cat damage do they?

emmell

The trouble is squeezing a mini dealer will not be as easy as squeezing a ford dealer.
Did you buy your car as a cat d, if so how much did you save when you bought it? if you got it for a good price then I suppose you can afford to take a hit. It's hard to value a car without seeing it but the dealer will just trade it on so the profit on your car will have to come from the trade. You will probably get more for your car on ebay if you list it honestly it will find it's own value.
ML.

jeannieblue

Charl__x wrote: »

Thanks for the advice.

I will definitely try and squeeze some more out of them. From past experiences, it seems that dealers will never give you anywhere near their best price first, instead offering you a below average deal and waiting to see if you'll accept. My boyfriend has just bought a new Fiesta, and managed to squeeze an extra £1400 for his 08 Fiesta which he was px, when comparing to the first figure they quoted him.

I would like to get a new car before the 2.5% VAT hike, but it's seeming more and more unlikely.

Anyone got any rough idea of what sort of px value I should be aiming for for my KA? I know there are some good car valuation sites, but these dont often take into account cat damage do they?

Do you have to buy brand new? Or want to? They really won't budge alot, tight fisted so and so's!

Are you in the South? If so, try further up North - they seem to be alot more reasonable.

bclark

Looking at a couple of the online brokers they are offering a mere hundred quid off the Mini one so it seems you have a good deal on that. Couldn't you look to sell your Car elsewhere for a bit more?

Charl__x

I'm in the Midlands.

I don't have to buy new, but the Minis seem to hold their prices quite well, and the used ones can still be quite pricey. I'd also like to take advantage of no MOTing for 3 years, but realise I have to pay the price for that!

I paid £3,800 for my car in Jan 2006 - it was only 9 months old when I bought it, so was a good buy. I'm fully aware that I won't get near as much as an 05 Ka which hasn't been in an accident, but 1k does seem a bit low. It's worth a try to see if they will offer any more, although I'm inclined to think they won't.

I could sell it privately, but will be awkward because it's inevitable that I'll be without a car for a period of time between selling and buying/taking devliery, and wouldn't be able to get to work.

Doozergirl

Why do you need a brand new car?

I am on my second MINI, both of them were found through the MINIcherished website
http://www.minicherished.co.uk/miniuk/minicherished/homepage/

Both less than a year oldwith the majority of their warranty and significant savings on new. £3500 off a 6 month old car with 4,000 on the clock and over £7,000 off the one I have now (a year old near enough) but that was at the beginning of the year when no-one was buying cars at all!

Whilst MINIs are highly customisable, you will find the one you are looking for through the Cherished site. I just put together my wish list and started searching!

My experience of Sytner is that that are not cheap on used MINIs and you will find cheaper at other dealers, but that's the beauty of the cherished site - you don't have to go local. You'll be pushed to find a used MINI that doesn't come with TLC - the deal is too good to turn down.

I have bought cars from Sytner Birmingham in the past and regardless of the fact that I bought my MINI 'oop north' this time, they carry out all my servicing and warranty work for me and Birmingham are frankly second to none when it comes to service. (Solihull were shocking on the one occassion I accidentally booked myself in there and Oldbury come with a dreadful reputation)

You can buy used MINI on the same finance plans so no issue there.